The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

The record

Incidents: funding and ownership pressure, outcome sustained

Each incident is a dated action by a government, an official, a regulator, a court or a legislature that limited journalists' ability to gather or publish news.

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

All filters: country, dates, head of government, sort
CountryArgentina, RSF 2026 rank: 98th of 180Cambodia, RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180El Salvador, RSF 2026 rank: 143rd of 180Georgia, RSF 2026 rank: 135th of 180Hungary, RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180PeruPoland, RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180Russia, RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180Slovakia, RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180Türkiye, RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180
ContinentAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth America
TacticFunding and ownership pressure 18Licensing and closure of outlets 6Official labels 2Lawsuits against the press 1
StagePressure 11Silence 7
OutcomeSustained 18
LevelNational 18
Head of governmentAlberto FujimoriBeata SzydloDonald TrumpHun SenIrakli KobakhidzeJavier MileiMateusz MorawieckiNayib BukeleRecep Tayyip ErdoğanRobert FicoViktor OrbanVladimir Putin

18 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
4 August 2026Russia: asset freezes on exiled "foreign agents", Aug 2026Russia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Official labelsVladimir PutinSustained (4 August 2026)
April 2026El Salvador: freeze on assets of shareholders in El Faro's parent company, February to April 2026El Salvador (RSF 2026 rank: 143rd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureNayib BukeleSustained (8 May 2026)
24 July 2025FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger after CBS ombudsman and anti-DEI pledgesUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (24 July 2025)
18 July 2025Congress cuts $1.1 billion in federal funding for public broadcastingUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (24 July 2025)
22 April 202560 Minutes executive producer resigns, citing lost editorial independenceUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (22 April 2025)
20 June 2024Slovakia's parliament dissolves public broadcaster RTVS, replaces it with STVRSlovakia (RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsRobert FicoSustained (1 July 2024)
28 May 2024Georgia 'foreign influence' law for media, 2024Georgia (RSF 2026 rank: 135th of 180)Official labelsIrakli KobakhidzeSustained
4 March 2024Milei's government shuts down Argentina's state news agency TelamArgentina (RSF 2026 rank: 98th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureJavier MileiSustained
April 2021Poland: state oil company Orlen buys the Polska Press newspaper groupPoland (RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureMateusz MorawieckiSustained (1 April 2021)
24 July 2020Hungary: editor fired and staff resign at Index.huHungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureViktor OrbanSustained (24 July 2020)
29 November 2018Hungary: formation of the KESMA pro-government media foundationHungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureViktor OrbanSustained (29 November 2018)
21 March 2018Türkiye: Dogan Holding sells its media outlets to DemirorenTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSustained (21 March 2018)
4 September 2017Cambodia's government forces the closure of The Cambodia Daily with a disputed multimillion-dollar tax billCambodia (RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsHun SenSustained (4 September 2017)
4 March 2016Türkiye: court installs trustees at Zaman newspaperTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSustained (4 March 2016)
31 December 2015Poland's new government gains power to replace public broadcaster leadership, and journalists are dismissedPoland (RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureBeata SzydloSustained (31 December 2019)
21 December 2010Hungary's parliament gives a government-appointed media council power to fine outlets for unbalanced coverageHungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureViktor OrbanSustained (1 January 2011)
14 April 2001State-controlled Gazprom takes formal control of Russia's independent NTV television networkRussia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureVladimir PutinSustained (14 April 2001)
July 1997Peru strips television station owner Baruch Ivcher of his citizenship after critical reportingPeru (RSF rank: not recorded)Funding and ownership pressureAlberto FujimoriSustained
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